Flash Fiction Workshop: Five Stories in Five Weeks

Flash fiction—very short stories that range from 500 to 1,000 words—invites playfulness and experimentation.

And yet the fundamentals of fiction writing still hold.

In this course, we will touch upon characterization, dialogue, point of view, momentum, and plot by studying a range of successful flash stories by Sandra Cisneros, Lydia Davis, Peter Orner, Venita Blackburn, and other contemporary writers.

We’ll discuss how to hook readers from the first sentence, make judicious use of detail, and write toward zingy last lines.

Weekly prompts and Zoom writing sessions will encourage you to try new things, take risks, and use the writing process to discover your story and subject matter.

Pamela Painter, who taught one of the first graduate workshops on flash fiction, will give a guest lecture, offering yet another perspective.

At the end of the five weeks, you will have written and received feedback on five brand-new stories.